Chapter 6
Dario turned on Augusto before Luciano expected it.
“You said Bellandi was temporary.”
Augusto closed his eyes.
The room went still.
Luciano almost smiled.
Not because anything was funny.
Because betrayal always became honest when frightened men realized they had not been given the same version of the plan.
Dario stood unsteadily among the broken presentation models. “You said he was helping force the council.”
Augusto snapped, “Enough.”
“No.”
Dario’s voice rose. “You said once Luciano stepped back, the north crews stayed Ferraro.”
Anthony looked at Luciano.
There it was.
Confirmation.
Augusto had not merely allowed an outside family into the plan.
He had lied to Dario about what he was trading.
Luciano folded his arms.
“Keep talking.”
Dario looked at him, then away.
The choice was visible on his face.
Protect the father who had used him, or expose the plan and hope Luciano hated Augusto more.
Resentment won.
“Bellandi wanted three months of route access.”
Augusto interrupted. “Dario.”
“And two warehouse nights every week.”
“Stop.”
“And a seat at the winter council.”
Anthony swore.
That was not cooperation.
That was penetration.
Luciano looked at his father.
“You opened the door.”
Augusto stared back. “I created leverage.”
“For whom?”
Silence.
Luciano stepped closer.
“You thought I was too soft to lead, so you invited a rival into my house and promised him pieces of my organization.”
Augusto’s face hardened.
“I built this family.”
“And that made you think you could sell it.”
That landed.
Nora stood quietly near Celeste, still holding the phone.
Then she frowned at the screen.
“There’s another recording.”
Everyone looked at her.
The device had not only captured the foyer.
It had received an incoming video file three minutes before Dario pushed Celeste.
No sender name.
No message.
Just a clip.
Luciano opened it.
The video showed the Ferraro nursery hallway.
Empty.
Then a figure stepped into frame.
A man Luciano recognized instantly.
His personal security chief.
The man looked directly into the camera and held up two fingers.
Dario went pale.
Augusto stopped breathing normally.
Luciano looked from the screen to his father.
“Two what?”
No one answered.
May you like
Celeste did.
“Two targets.”
